“You are fired!”
These are the words that business tycoon
Donald Trump was known for in his TV reality show “The Apprentice”.
However in the real world getting fired can even be more subtle or
ruthless depending on who is concerned. It is something that happens
every day in the corporate world so just how does one read the hand
writing on the wall and know ahead of time that the end may be near?
Here are five signs you could be fired
from your current workplace. If you notice any of them you might want to
find ways to stop your imminent departure from the organization.
- You are Cut out of the Loop
In the past, you were always involved in
all the issues arising in your department. You were kept abreast of
policies and development, but you’ve noticed some changes now. Perhaps
you are a senior account officer who is privy to all sensitive financial
information from management to senior officials such as yourself and
then suddenly you get nothing. No briefings, no memos …. nothing of the
level of importance you used to get. You get cut out of crucial meetings
where you were vital.
What to do?
You should take the initiative and
approach your superiors. Respectfully point out your concerns on the
recent turn of events and make it clear you do not begrudge anyone
because of the change in the way things are being run. In this kind of
situation, it is better to confront issues and make it clear you are not
on a warpath with anyone. This could ease some tension and even secure
your job
Mistakes are often made in business and
your case is not different. However there are limits to mistakes some
management can take. When you lose a huge client under your watch,
through a fault or incompetence of yours, the management could come out
of its next meeting with your sack letter. Nothing causes angst among
senior management as an employee making a mistake that costs the
business a ton of money.
Apologies can go a long way
When you find yourself making such
costly mistakes or losing business you need to quickly send in your
apology and meet with your management. Promise to make up your mistakes
with better performances. Respectfully show your remorse at the bad
decision but never appear desperate. A quick written and oral apology to
the decision makers may save you from further sanctions they may have
been considering.
- New Hot Blooded Takeover of Your Department
Many times we have seen it happen where a
new guy, straight from an MBA at Harvard or Lagos Business School, gets
hired as the new General Manager or head of your division. You come to
work one morning and discover everybody huddled in disquiet and some
even cleaning away their desks.
The new guy in charge probably decided
that the company was losing so much money paying all of you fat lazy
snobs/ the company needed to get more competitive and the best way to do
that is to sack half the staff gradually/ he doesn’t need so many
hands in running the place/ he just doesn’t like the faces of some
people in the division.
Then when you try as hard as possible to
get in good terms with the new guy he seems not to have such high
regard for you. He, however, seems to like your deputy or second and
gives him far more responsibilities and duties. It could be a bad sign
and you must not ignore the signs.
Prove yourself!
To try and turn things around when you
find yourself in this situation, here are things you can do; be as civil
and respectful as possible when dealing with the new boss, find out
what he likes and how he likes his tasks to be carried out, volunteer to
do things that will show him your experience is still important for the
team.
He may not like you but if he thinks you are an asset to the firm you have a chance at keeping your place.
People who work in the banking and
financial services sector know the effects of mergers and acquisitions
well enough by now. When your company gets sold or merges with another,
there many dynamics that come into play and no matter how secure you
thought your job was , you genuinely need to start making new plans.
Secure your place
During mergers and takeovers there may
not be much you can do since certain decisions on who gets sacked after
the merger may be taken in the board room. The only way to come out
unscathed in this sort of situation is to be an A-star performer from
the start. The real human assets rarely get sacked as a result of
mergers. So when you hear rumours of mergers involving your company it’s
time to buckle up and create top quality work if you have not been
doing so. Make sure your accomplishments and tasks are completed within
schedule. Outstanding duties should be documented in your weekly report
to your supervisor. Mergers and acquisitions do take some time to
complete so you can build up evidence that you are a quality resource to
have.
When mergers are completed the experts
who are called in to recommend cost cutting strategies will look at
files, recommendation letters and briefs of employees to help determine
who gets sacked. Having a quality track record of efficient and stellar
work will help impress your value on the troubleshooters when they make
their list of staff no longer needed.
A few months ago a disengaged banker was
lamenting about his sack for refusing sex offers from his manager (a
fellow male). Stories as this incidentally form a sizeable number of the
reasons why some people lose their jobs. Most times those who get
sacked do not find it useful to disclose the reasons for the dismissal.
Looking handsome or beautiful certainly
can be a hindrance. When you get advances from your superior (especially
if she wields many powers) the clouds are certainly getting darker.
When you do the right thing and turn down her advances she would most
likely feel humiliated and come after you.
Talk to the right people about your situation
This situation can be very tricky for
most people. If she has superiors it will be a wise thing to try and get
your compliant across to them. Many times victims of sexual harassment
in the office are afraid to speak out thinking they will worsen their
situation by doing so. They get sacked despite their silence.
Getting your concerns about your job to
your boss’ superiors is a better way to minimize your chances of getting
the sack letter. Respectfully inform higher superiors that while you do
not bear any grudges you feel she may be out to get you because of your
refusal and state that you just want to be able to do your best work
for the organization. Never squeal to your co-workers or juniors in the
office. Since they are not in a situation to affect the outcome it is
useless or even dangerous to talk to them about it.
What Next?
If you notice you are in any of the
situations above follow the tips suggested for each situation. The key
here is to take your destiny in your own hands and move to forestall any
ugly decisions that may put you out of work. Be proactive with the
steps suggested rather than stay at your desk and just hope things do
not get worse.
